speck

noun

\ ˈspek

Definition of speck

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a small discoloration or spot especially from stain or decay

2 : a very small amount : bit

3 : something marked or marred with specks

speck

verb

specked; specking; specks

Definition of speck (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to produce specks on or in

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Examples of speck in a Sentence

Noun

There was not a speck of dust anywhere. Soon the balloon was only a speck in the sky. She writes without a speck of humor.

Verb

dirt that had specked the windows of the factory for ages

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Above the crowd, a disco ball scattered little specks of light. — Ian Malone, Vogue, "Union Los Angeles and Nordstrom Celebrate Their Collaboration With a Lower East Side Block Party," 11 July 2019 When dissolved in liquid, the sugar revealed an infestation: dozens of tiny reddish specks. — Scott Dance, Washington Post, "University of Maryland-led survey finds honeybee losses highest in 13 years this winter," 20 June 2019 Henry George says, Compared with the solar system our earth is but an indistinguishable speck; and the solar system itself shrivels into nothingness when gauged with the star depths. — Marilynne Robinson, Harper's magazine, "Is Poverty Necessary?," 10 June 2019 The Piero is topped with speck, white truffle oil and mozzarella. — Carlos Frías, miamiherald, "This pizza spot is a cult favorite. And it’s coming to the new-and-improved CocoWalk," 4 June 2019 Tiny specks of the powder have overdosed police officers around the country who unknowingly handled the substance at crime scenes. — Guillermo Contreras, ExpressNews.com, "Leader of deadly San Antonio opioid pill mill pleads guilty," 20 June 2019 The schools, specks on the map, are monuments to Arizona's history. — Lily Altavena, azcentral, "Squeezed by declining enrollment, Arizona's rural schools are suffering," 12 June 2019 Tinicum Township, a municipal speck of 4,000 people on the lee side of I-95, where 70 percent of the land is paved over with airport runways and parking lots, said no. — Inga Saffron, https://www.inquirer.com, "This building on the Delaware River saved immigrant lives for 95 years. Now it’s been rescued by Tinicum Twp. | Inga Saffron," 4 June 2019 Now, though, a team based at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany, has measured not just this speck’s brightness but its position with staggering precision. — Quanta Magazine, "Astronomers Creep Up to the Edge of the Milky Way’s Black Hole," 30 Oct. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Now, their territory has fewer than 1,000 residents and consists of about 7,300 acres, with roads wandering through woods specked with modest family homes. — New York Times, "A Story of Survival Revived by the Cicadas’ Loud (and Crunchy) Return," 22 June 2018 For all its strengths, though, the series proves a bit of a slog, at times, as the wheels turn along the dusty, blood-specked road to wherever this maze leads. — Brian Lowry, CNN, "'Westworld' remains easy to admire, harder to like in new season," 19 Apr. 2018 To get into the spirit, order a ginger beer and rock shrimp fritters, fried balls of doughy goodness specked with bell pepper and spices that come steaming hot with a side of spicy mayo. — Mark Kurlyandchik, Detroit Free Press, "Best New Restaurant #10: River Bistro, Detroit," 12 Feb. 2018 Moonchild is specked with obvious glitter, which could be a deterrent for some. — Devon Abelman, Allure, "This Anastasia Beverly Hills Moonchild Glow Kit Alternative Is a Quarter of the Price," 15 Sep. 2017 The majority of it, however, was specked with red SALE signs, noting that the red, white, and blue a-line miniskirt was 40 percent off (from $80 to $53.40) and white sculpting mid-rise skinny jeans (from $89 to $36.60). — Emily Jane Fox, vanityfair.com, "Fear and Loathing in Bedminster: On the Ground in the Quiet, Bucolic Town Where Donald Trump Is Toying with Blowing Up the World," 10 Aug. 2017 The majority of it, however, was specked with red SALE signs, noting that the red, white, and blue a-line miniskirt was 40 percent off (from $80 to $53.40) and white sculpting mid-rise skinny jeans (from $89 to $36.60). — Emily Jane Fox, The Hive, "Fear and Loathing in Bedminster: On the Ground in the Quiet, Bucolic Town Where Donald Trump Is Toying with Blowing Up the World," 10 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'speck.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.